Alissa Shapiro, Producer with Weigel Broadcasting, Inc.

04/07/2026|Cynthia Bemis Abrams|Guest Index

Alissa Shapiro, Producer with Weigel Broadcasting, Inc.

Cable TV Profiles Regina Jones, Iconic “Soul” Founder

Description:

TV herstorian Cynthia Bemis Abrams spotlights Regina Jones, a pioneering media entrepreneur who made history as the first Black woman to publish nationally with a focus on soul music. In this episode, Cynthia is joined by Alissa Shapiro, executive producer of Who in the Hell is Regina Jones?, a documentary that explores Jones’ impact and SOUL Newspaper, and premieres on Weigel Broadcasting’s Dabl TV, Story TV, and Start TV in February 2026 for Black History Month.

Together, they discuss:

The founding and cultural legacy of SOUL Newspaper
How Jones utilized print media to amplify Black voices in music
Her role as a trailblazer in Black women’s media history
Why SOUL Newspaper deserves a place in American pop culture canon
The significance of airing this acclaimed documentary on cable today

Shapiro also shares behind-the-scenes insights into producing the documentary, which blends decades of preservation work, journalism, and archival research into a powerful portrait of Jones’ life and survival.

References:

SOUL Newspaper https://www.soulpublications.co/

Who the Hell is Regina Jones? https://whoisreginafilm.com/

Related Episodes About Documentaries:

11.3 – TV Cooking Show Pioneer Julia Child feat. Julie Cohen

https://advancedtvherstory.libsyn.com/tv-cooking-show-pioneer-julia-child-feat-julie-cohen

11.1 – SNL’s Gilda Radner: A Life Celebrated in Film

https://advancedtvherstory.libsyn.com/snls-gilda-radner-a-life-celebrated-in-film

Cynthia Bemis Abrams and Advanced TV Herstory

ATVH Newsletter – tvherstory.com

Website – https://cynthiabemisabrams.com/

Podcast Archive – tvherstory.com